The central discussion at the 2004 Global Dressage Forum was the redefination of FEI Rule Article 401 into: "the object of dressage is the development of the horse into a happy athlete through harmonious education."
Experts in all equestrian fields interpreted the concept "happy" horse and came to a general conclusion that a happy horse "is in harmony with his rider, waiting for the minimal aid, never being pushed, is showing a friendly eye and facial expression, carrying the tail relaxed and keeping a steady, happy contact with the bit."
Journalist Claartje van Andel added that "a true winner is a happy athlete because he does something which is natural to him." This sounds all good and fine, but to what extent is dressage at an Olympic level a natural performance for a horse?
What is harmonious education? Doesn't competitive dressage involve the training of horses by stretching their limits further and further?
Also, two qualities appreciated by the judges in the show ring are: happiness and brilliance. Unfortunately, these two factors do not go hand in hand. Horses that seem to be happy in the show ring, such as Brentina and Wansuela Suerte, distinctly lack in brilliance and get down scored because of that. Horses that are brilliant in the show ring and induce the wow-effect, seem to be tense, nervous and spooky.
"If we demand more and more and more 'expression' and 'extravagance' in competition, then we ARE going to push the horses more," Kyra told Eurodressage, "and at some point the tension gets obvious."
How can a spooky horse be considered happy? Isn't fear associated with harmony, happiness, steadiness and trust? How can horses that freaked out in the show ring at the Olympics (for instance, Salinero in the Grand Prix, Rusty in the Grand Prix Special) be labeled happiest and second most happy horse at the Olympics?
Furthermore, why was not, for instance, the correctness of the piaffe being discussed at this forum. Isn't the whole point of the Global Dressage Forum to discuss the current state of dressage, with Olympics being the pinnacle of showing what we want? How can a piaffe which is uneven behind, with one leg higher than the other, or with front legs opening up more than 70 centimeters be earning 8s and 9s? Isn't this a more critical issue than discussing happiness, a concept for which humans don't have a clear definition, not to mention for horses; a concept which has been at the basis of Philosophy and to which Plato and Aristotle could not find a suitable answer nor definition.
Albeit, the happiness discussion at the 2004 Global Dressage Forum seemed to have been refreshing and new. Hopefully it will lead to a new way of judging which encourages harmonious training of the dressage horse with as goal a little more happiness than brilliance.
--Astrid Appels
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Read the Complete 2004 Global Dressage Forum Report on Eurodressage